November 2010

The world is filled with incredible beauty, yet the filter of stress often casts a spell upon our eyes that, in turn, dulls all the senses. The result is that in every direction, we see (perhaps project) a boring, if not ugly, landscape. We are the ones that cast this spell, so it would stand to reason that we must also be the ones to “break the spell” (for those of you who are familiar with popular fairy tales, this theme, for a good reason, is not uncommon). This week while rereading the works of poet philosopher, John O’Donohue (Anam Cara) I was struck by his passion for beauty (perhaps because it mirrors my own.) Just as it is hard to feel sorry for yourself when you find things to be grateful for in your life, searching for all things beautiful is one way to help break the spell of stress and self-pity. Nature is filled with remarkable beauty and the sages and luminaries across the span of time remind us constantly to return to nature as a means to become grounded and centered in our lives, in essence, to break the spell of stress. O’Donohue invites us to examine the beautiful landscape regularly, and we would do well to take his advice. The world, it appears, is also filled with much ugliness (e.g., politics, poverty, hunger, etc.) and while we cannot, nor should not ignore these problems, neither should be become mired in them that we cast a spell of despair over ourselves….Balance is the key! The world is filled with incredible beauty! Its up to us to find it.

Stress Tip for the Day:
Make a list today of 10 things that you consider, through your eyes, to hold great beauty, stunning beauty: Stain glass windows, a vase of roses, a sleeping kitten, a Mozart Symphony, a child’s smile, snow capped mountains. Without spending money, begin to create (perhaps recreate) a sacred space in your house, office or place of your choosing so that you are surrounded in beauty. Remember that sacred spaces need to breathe, meaning that things of beauty need to be circulated in and out to maintain their perspective of beauty, least we take them for granted and recast the spell once again.

Links, Books & Movies Worth Noting:
One of the last interviews of John O’Donohue (before his untimely death a few years ago) was conducted by Krista Tippit for the NPR program, Being. Below is a link to this sight and his last interview. I also highly recommend O’Donohue’s book, Anam Cara (Soul Friend).

http://being.publicradio.org/

Quote for the Day:
“Beauty is a harmonious relation between something in our nature and the quality of the object which delights us.” —Pascal

Photo for the Day:
One of my hobbies is photography and I wander endlessly in nature to do my best to capture these moments of beauty, that I then hang in the photo gallery throughout my home. It was hard to select just one photo to capture the essence of beauty for this entry, but in honor of John O’Donohue and his native Ireland, here is a photo from the Southwest region, near the Dingle Peninsula. Enjoy!

Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D. is an internationally renowned expert in the fields of stress management, mind-body-spirit healing and stress and human spirituality. He is the author of over 10 books including the bestsellers, Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water, Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward, The Art of Calm, Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart and Managing Stress (6E). He can be reached through his website:www.brianlukeseaward.net

© Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D.

Years ago I taught a popular course at the American University called Modern Theories of Health and Wellness, based on the quadrants of the wellness paradigm (mind, body, spirit and emotions) where the whole is always greater than the sum of the parts. Often, I would bring in guest speakers to give the students a “real world” flavor to the course, and this semester was no different. Through some great connections, I invited a Lakota Sioux Native American to class to share his views of human spirituality. The night class went three hours (7-10 p.m.) and I offered him the entire evening. As is customary with such a speaker, I began the class by offering some tobacco. My students then got in line to offer a token gift of thanks as well (for some reason, one student even brought a can a baked beans?) After the exchange of gifts, the room became extremely quiet. Our guest speaker pulled an eagle feather out of his medicine pouch and holding it in his right hand, looked up toward the heavens and began to pray a prayer of gratitude. He began with words to thank the Creator, the Great Mystery, who makes all things. He gave thanks to Mother Earth for the sustenance of food that nourishes our bodies. He spoke of the need for balance as we walk gently on the back of Mother Earth. He thanked the rain and the rivers of water that nurture the rivers of blood through our muscles. He gave thanks to the energies of the four directions, north, south, east and west, and the symbolic gifts they offer. He gave thanks to the winds that fill our lungs with air so that we may breathe our own words of thanks. He gave thanks to the five senses that we may appreciate the winds, the earth, the water, the food, every day. He gave thanks to the animals and birds and then proceeded to list several hundred by name which took several minutes. In fact, his prayer of thanks, which left no stone unturned, took nearly an hour. It was on that day that all of us really learned the meaning of gratitude, taking nothing for granted, even the simplest of things in our lives.

Stress Tip for the Day:
This Thanksgiving, when you give thanks, think beyond the usual and obvious. Give thanks, by name, to everything— even if it takes you an hour! Make everyday a day of gratitude!

Quote for the Day:
“Every part of this earth is sacred to my people. Every shining pine needle, every sandy shore, every mist in the dark woods. All are holy in the memory and experience of my people. We know the sap that courses through the trees as we know the blood that courses through our veins. We are part of the earth and it is a part of us. Perfumed flowers are our sisters. The bear, the deer, the great eagle; these are our brothers.” —Chief Seattle, 1855

Photo for the Day:
As I begin to make preparations for some dinner guest this evening…. I give thanks as well. Enjoy!

Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D. is an internationally renowned expert in the fields of stress management, mind-body-spirit healing and stress and human spirituality. He is the author of over 10 books including the bestsellers, Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water, Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward, The Art of Calm, Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart and Managing Stress (6E). He can be reached through his website:www.brianlukeseaward.net

© Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D.

This year celebrates the 50th anniversary of Jane Goodall’s initial research of the chimpanzees of Tanzania. As a young woman in her 20’s she ventured into the rainforests of Africa to study our closest relative in the animal kingdom. It was Jane who discovered that humans are not the only toolmakers on the planet. One must remember that before this discovery, it what thought that what separated humans from other animals was that we were the only toolmakers! Over the past several decades Jane has worked tirelessly to champion environmental causes. Like so many animals around the planet to day chimpanzees are losing their habitat to urban sprawl. Songbirds, Florida panthers, tigers in India are also losing their habitat; the list is nearly endless. The balance of nature is out of balance! To camp years on end in the jungles of Africa as a young woman takes courage. To stand up for a cause, in this case, environmentalism, also takes courage. The mark of a real hero is courage; to stand up for what you believe in the effort to help others. Jane Goodall is one such hero. Today, Jane Goodall, we salute you as one of humanity’s great heroes!

• Stress Tip for the Day:
One person can make a difference in the world. It happens everyday. People who work in soup kitchens to help feed the hungry. People who teach young kids to read. People give clothing and shelter to the poor. People who offer assistance to others in times of need. These people don’t necessarily make the headlines. They don’t always have books and movies made about their lives, but these people DO make a difference. They are the “everyday heroes” and we need more of them. There are those who say that, as a global village under stress, we need to reevaluate our lifestyles; putting less focus on ourselves and more attention to help others in need. One person can make a difference in the world… and that person is you!

• Links/Books Worth Noting:
Like most people, I have known of Jane Goodall and her work for decades, but I became quite enchanted with her after reading her autobiography, Reason for Hope. I recommend this book to everyone!

The following is a recent interview with Jane from the New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/16/science/16conversation.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=a210

• Quote for the Day:
“My mission is to create a world where we can live in harmony with nature, please make this your mission too.” — Jane Goodall

• Photo of the Day:
I had the pleasure of hosting Jane Goodall and Michael York at my house for dinner in preparation for a celebration in Boulder honoring Jane’s commitment for world peace and environmental protection. Jane, Michael and I put together a commemorative CD/DVD: Jane Goodall’s Message of Peace which raised (and continues to raise) thousands of dollars to help restore chimpanzee habitat in Tanzania. Congratulations, Jane for your efforts to make this a better world in which to live.

Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D. is an internationally renowned expert in the fields of stress management, mind-body-spirit healing and stress and human spirituality. He is the author of over 10 books including the bestsellers, Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water, Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward, The Art of Calm, Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart and Managing Stress (6E). He can be reached through his website:www.brianlukeseaward.net

© Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D.

These are the initial symptoms of food allergies: Shortness of breath, flush face, watery eyes, coughing, sniffling, diarrhea, gastro-intestinal problems, hives, etc. Typically, a protein structure in one of the foods you ate is recognized as a foreign pathogen and the immune system goes into an overreaction mode to destroy the invader. The symphony of symptoms described above is your immune system at work. While most allergic reactions take several hours to clear the pathogen from your body; in some cases seeking medical assistance is advised. Until recently, the three most common foods that caused food allergies were eggs, peanuts and milk (lactose intolerance). Wheat became the fourth food associated with these types of problems. Under stress, all food allergies increase significantly. Now with foods created in the laboratory, just about anything can be a pathogen—to nearly anyone. In the words of activist, Jane Goodall, “The children of North America have now become the world’s lab animals on whom to study the long-term effects of eating GMO products.” GMO’s or genetically modified organisms (also known as Frankenfoods) are described as foods that contain DNA from another food source, perhaps another species. Examples include DNA from nuts in corn, DNA of flounder fish in tomatoes, and the herbicide Roundup in the DNA of corn and soybeans. GMO foods are banned in Europe and other parts of the world. As a professor at the University of Colorado, I taught a course in nutrition for 12 years. I brought in many guest speakers, including staff members of the local Whole Foods. Food allergies, we were told, are on the rise dramatically, much of which is related to GMO’s (which are not labeled as such, due to political lobbying by companies such as Monsanto who design these Frankenfoods.) Let the buyer beware!

Stress Tip for the Day:
It is estimated that about 60% or more of foods in your local grocery store are GMO’d (including ingredients in mayonnaise, catsup, and many frozen food items.) Nutrition experts repeated suggest to shop the perimeter of the grocery store, avoiding processed foods in the aisles, and buy organic foods whenever possible. Please become educated about the foods you eat, where they come from and how they are grown. This also includes asking questions of the staff of the restaurants where you frequent about where they purchase their foods. Take time to cultivate a healthy relationship with the foods you eat.

Link/Books Worth Noting:
Most Americans are unaware of the tinkering going on with our foods. Please take the time to educate yourself on this matter. Here are some resources to begin or continue your awareness:
Books: Seeds of Deception and Genetic Roulette by Jeffrey Smith

http://www.greenmuze.com/nurture/gmos/343-frankenfood.html

http://laudyms.wordpress.com/category/gmo-frankenfoods/

A good movie to rent is Food, Inc.

• Quote for the Day:
“Any scientist who tells you they know that GMOs are safe and not to worry about it, is either ignorant of the history of science or is deliberately lying. Nobody knows what the long-term effect will be.” – Geneticist, David Suzuki, giving the 2008 Commonwealth Lecture in London

“As far as genetic engineering for food, that is the great experiment that has failed. They literally have the entire world market against them. All those dreams… the blind will see, the lame will walk… has turned out to be science fiction. They are basically chemical companies selling more chemicals. They’ve been able to spread these herbicide-promoting plants around because it is more convenient for farmers who can just mass-spray their crops. But they’ve given absolutely nothing to the consumer while causing more chemical pollution and contamination.” – Lawyer, Andrew Kimbrell, executive director of the Center for Food Safety (USA)

Photo of the Day:
Whenever possible, buy organic products. This photo was taken at my local farmer’s market with many organic farmers who only sell organically raised produce.

Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D. is an internationally renowned expert in the fields of stress management, mind-body-spirit healing and stress and human spirituality. He is the author of over 10 books including the bestsellers, Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water, Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward, The Art of Calm, Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart and Managing Stress (6E). He can be reached through his website:www.brianlukeseaward.net

© Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D.

Today, we are going to skip the theory and cut to the chase… enjoy!

WHY MEN DON’T HAVE ADVICE COLUMNS

WALTER’S ADVICE COLUMN
Dear Walter,
I hope you can help me here. The other day, I set off for work leaving my husband in the house watching the TV as usual. I hadn’t driven more than a mile down the road when the engine conked out and the car shuddered to a halt. I walked back home to get my husband’s help.

When I got home I couldn’t believe my eyes. He was in our bedroom with the neighbours daughter. I am 32, my husband is 34, and the neighbours daughter is 22. We have been married for ten years. When I confronted him, he
broke down and admitted that they had been having an affair for the past six months.

I told him to stop or I would leave him. He was sacked from his job six months ago and he says he has been feeling increasingly depressed and worthless. I love him very much, but ever since I gave him the ultimatum he has become increasingly distant. He won’t go to counseling and I’m afraid I can’t get through to him anymore.
Can you please help?

Sincerely,
Sheila

Dear Sheila:

A car stalling after being driven a short distance can be caused by a variety of faults with the engine. Start by checking that there is no dirt in the fuel line. If it is clear, check the vacuum pipes and hoses on the intake manifold and also check all grounding wires. If none of these approaches solves the problem, it could be that the fuel pump itself is faulty, causing low delivery pressure to the injectors.

I hope this helps.
Walter

No $#%! Sherlock
“Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson go on a camping trip. After a good dinner, they retire for the night, and go to sleep.

Some hours later, Holmes wakes up and nudges his faithful friend. “Watson, look up at the sky and tell me what you see.”

“I see millions and millions of stars, Holmes” exclaims Watson.

“And what do you deduce from that?”

Watson ponders for a minute.

“Well, astronomically, it tells me that there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets. Astrologically, I observe that Saturn is in Leo. Hourologically, I deduce that the time is approximately a quarter past three. Meteorologically, I suspect that we will have a beautiful day tomorrow. Theologically, I can see that God is all powerful, and that we are a small and insignificant part of the universe. What does it tell you, Holmes?”

Holmes replied: “Watson, you idiot, it means that somebody stole our tent.”

Link/Book Worth Noting:
This song performed by one of my FAVORITE Irish groups, The High Kings, puts a smile on my face. I hope it does the same for you too. Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hl6JWSi8jXo

• Stress Tip For The Day:
Try to find one thing that makes you smile today.

• Quote for the Day:
“Don’t knock on death’s door! Ring the doorbell and run like hell. He hates that.” Anonymous Graffiti

• Photo of the Day:
A photo, from a greeting card, to remind us to take life lightly. Enjoy!

Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D. is an internationally renowned expert in the fields of stress management, mind-body-spirit healing and stress and human spirituality. He is the author of over 10 books including the bestsellers, Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water, Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward, The Art of Calm, Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart and Managing Stress (6E). He can be reached through his website:www.brianlukeseaward.net
© Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D.

Years ago a couple in Vancouver BC, disturbed about the fate of the world, made a challenge to themselves. In an effort to live a sustainable life, they decided to live more simply. Part of this effort included only eating food that was grown and produced within a 100-mile radius from where they lived. As it turned it out it was easier than they thought. Anyone who has ever heard of the “macrobiotic diet” (popular with cancer patients) may be familiar with the concept of eating seasonal food that is locally grown and harvested (including fish and meats). Given the fact that most food is transported over 1,500 miles from source to plate, participating in the 100-mile diet is definitely a step in the right direction to live a sustainable life. Here is something else to consider: When I taught nutrition at the University of Colorado I learned of a concept called the “Circle of Poison.” Because of environmental laws, there are many pesticides that we (the US) are no longer allowed to use. BUT… we are allowed to produce them and sell them overseas, where they then are used on various crops. In turn, these crops are sold back to the US market and you buy them in your local grocery store. You may have noticed that strawberries are available every month of the year these days. When you are buying strawberries out of season (mid to late summer in the US) the cost includes the shipping from their point of origin, which usually takes up a lot of gasoline. The 100-mile diet is a philosophy of life. To live responsibly, start with what you place in your mouth. Your body will thank you.

• Stress Tip For The Day:
Do you know where the food you buy comes from? Is the fish wild or farm bred? Are the veggies you buy free of herbicides, fungicides, pesticides and petro-based fertilizers? These are important things to know, because by and large, you cannot wash these chemicals off the surface: They are IN the food. Consider trying the 100-mile diet, if not for a year, perhaps just a week, or at least making an effort to know where your food comes from; what part of the country, or what country? Take some time this week to cultivate your relationship with food.

• Links/Books Worth Noting:
If you wish to learn more about the originators of the 100-mile diet, here is a link to the Wikipedia page.. you may also wish to read the book based on their efforts, called The 100-mile Diet: A year of Local Eating, by Alisa Smith and J B MacKinnon
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_100-Mile_Diet

• Quote for the Day:
“Treat the Earth well. It was not given to you by your parents. It was loaned to you by your children.”— Kenyan Proverb

• Photo of the Day:
Farmer’s markets are a great way to shop locally. While many farmer’s markets are coming to a close in some parts of the country, actually meeting the people who grow and harvest your food is a step in the sustainable direction. This photo was taken at my local farmer’s market.

Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D. is an internationally renowned expert in the fields of stress management, mind-body-spirit healing and stress and human spirituality. He is the author of over 10 books including the bestsellers, Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water, Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward, The Art of Calm, Quiet Mind, Fearless Heart and Managing Stress (6E). He can be reached through his website:www.brianlukeseaward.net

© Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D.